Base assembly



April 26, 1966 H. H. CHARLES BASE ASSEMBLY Filed May 21, 1964 INVENTOR. HAROLD H. CHARLES am qm m qn flA s ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,248,077 BASE ASSEMBLY Harold H. Charles, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to The Anaconda Aluminum Company, a corporation of Montana Filed May 21, 1964. Ser. No. 369,251 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-23) This invention relates to a base assembly for supporting objects, such as a vending machine, raised from the floor.

Vending machines and like objects are often placed in semi-permanent installations where they are to be maintained for an extended period of time. Since installations are not permanent, it is essential that they be mounted in such a way that they can easily be taken ofi their base structure and removed or replaced by a new and sometimes diflerent sized machines. Owing both to their semi-permanent installation and the unusual physical surroundings in which these machines are occasionally installed, it is necessary that the machines be mounted raised from the floor to provide a safe, sturdy and sanitary installation. Heretofore, each installation required essentially a custom-made base structure which varied depending upon the place in which the machine was being installed and size and shape of the machine to be mounted. It is an object of this invention to provide a base assembly for supporting objects such as vending machines raised from the floor which is characterized by a few simple elements in its construction which are readily adaptable to a wide variety of installation needs.

Broadly stated, the base assembly is comprised of at least two elongated structural base members which are position spaced from one another and define raised supporting surfaces on which the object can be supported raised from the floor. Spacing means interconnect adjacent base members and maintain them spaced apart in a fixed position. Finally, a panel is releasably mounted on adjacent ends of each of the respective base members to span and cover the space therebetween. The panel is removable so that the space beneath the supported object is accessible. In its most simple and preferred form the base assembly is comprised of two identical elongated structural base members which are extruded to have a cross section configuration which defines a suporting surface at the top thereof on which an object canbe supported. The spacing means consist of two bars which are crossed one over the other and are pivotally attached at their crossed point. One end portion of each bar is attached to each of the base members and 'by varying the position of the end portions of the respective bars along the elongated base members, the base members can be maintained in relative wide and narrow spaced relationship. In this simple form the panel is an extruded flat member having angular fins extending from one broad face of the extrusion member and corresponding angular slots cut in the endmost portion of the base mem bers so that the panel can be mounted to the base members by inserting the fins into the slots, whereby the panel will span and cover the space between the base members and still permit easy removal from the panel so that the space beneath the object supported by the base members is accessible.

The base assembly can consist of basically three elements: an extruded base member (of which at least two are required), a pair of simple flat bars which are crossed and pivotally attached together, and an extruded panel which is attachable tothe base members. In spite of the simple and limited number of components parts essential to the assembly, the assembly can be adapted to the installation of a rather wide range of objects of varying sizes. It also olfers the advantage, in its preferred forms, of ease and economy of manufacture.

.15 at .the point they cross.

3,248,077 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinbelow with reference to the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partly broken away of the base assembly;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a base member of the invention showing the cross-sectional configuration; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation taken at the front end of the assembly and showing the cross-sectional configuration of the panel.

The base assembly 10 basically consists of a pair of base members 11 and 12 which in the embodiment shown are elongated extruded structural metallic members which are positioned on the floor parallel and co-extensive with each other andare spaced apart. The base members 11.

and 12 are maintained spaced apart by means of a pair of crossed bars 13 and 14. As shown, the crossed bars are elongated flat bar, one of which is crossed over the other and is pivotally attached to the other by a fastener Each of the bars 13 and 14 has one end portion attached to a first base member 11 and the opposite end portion attached to a second base member 12. V

The extruded metal base assembly preferably has an I-shaped cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 2. This configuration consists of a flat elongated base portion 17, an integral middle portion 18 extending vertically from the base portion 17 along the center line of the base portion, and an integral top port-ion 19 which is narrower in lateral extension than the base portion 17 and defines a supporting surface 20 on which the object to be supported can be positioned. As shown in this embodiment the supporting surface is defined by an elongated raised portion 21 which defines a narrow channel 22 -in which the support legs 23 of a vending machine or the like can be positioned. By seating the base 24 of the legs 23 within the channel 22 lateral shifting of the vending machine is substantially precluded.

Cut into the extruded base members 11 and 12 at at least one end portion, as best shown in FIG. 3, are angular slots 26 and 27. These slots 26 and 27 are inclined at an angle of 45 downwardly from horizontal and are cut into the middle portion 18 of the extruded base member and are spaced one above the other. An extr-uded panel 39 is the last element of the assembly and it is designed to be attached at the front of the base as sembly substantially to close the space which exists between the vending machine and the floor and between the spaced base members 11 and 12 at the front of the assembly. The panel has a decorative purpose in that it essenti-allydefines a skirt to the machine so as to give it the appearance of being flush to the floor and has a functional aspect in that it provides a means for gaining access beneath the machine for cleaning and maintenance purposes. The panel 30 is preferably extruded from a metal or a plastic and is essentially a rigid flat member which has two spaced fins 31 and 32 which extend at an angle of essentially 45 out and down from one broad face of the flat panel when the panel is erect as it is when installed. As shown in FIG. 3 the fins 31 and 32 are spaced apart a distance which permits them being inserted into the slots 26 and 27 so that the panel 31 can be snapped into the end portions of the base members 11 and 12 so as to span the space between the base members and substantially cover the opening defined therebetween and between the machine and the floor, so that this space is accessible.

In mounting a vending machine or the like, the base members 11 and 12 positioned parallel to each other and spaced apart in amount depending on the width of the machine to be mounted thereon or upon the position of the legs of the machine, if the machine is constructed 3 with legs. Once the base members have been positioned on the floor in this manner the crossed bars 13 and 14 which have pins 34 extending downwardly from their respective end portions are inserted into appropriate.

holes 35 and 36 which are provided along marginal edges 37 and 38 of both laterally extending sides of the top portion 19 of each of the base members. In the embodiment shown, one end portion of each of the bars 13 and'14 is inserted into a hole near the front end portions .of the base members to which the panel is to be attached. When the respective end portions are so positioned the opposite end portions of each of the bars 13 and 14, because of their pivotal attachment with respect to each other, are then positioned to overlie holes which are positioned longitudinally spaced further along the same marginal edge portions of the top portion 19 of respective base members. The bars are then inserted into the holes and the assembly is essentially as shown in FIG. 1 wherein the flat bars maintain the base members 11 and 12 spaced from each other. Of course, if the vending machine is to be replaced by one which is-narrower or wider than the indicated one in FIG. 1 the base members can be moved closer or farther apart and the cross bars 13 and 14 can be adjusted to maintain the base members spaced apart at their new positions. Once the base 'members and spacing means have been attached as described, a panel 30 having the desired extension is then clipped onto the ends of the base members at the front of the machine and' assembly is completed.

I claim:

1. A base assembly for supporting objects, such as a vending machine, raised from the floor comprising:

(a) at least two elongated extruded metal base members having a substantially I-shaped cross-section positioned parallel to and coextensive with one another and spaced from each other, the top section of eachof said I-shaped cross section defining a raised supporting surface on which the object can be supported raised. from the floor,

(b) a pair of bars, one crossed over the other and pivotally attached together at the crossed point, extending between two of said base members with one end portion of each bar being selectively attachable to each base member to maintain them selectively spaced apart in a fixed position, and

(c) a rigid extended panel releasably mounted on adjacent coextensive ends of each of the respective base members to span and cover the space therebetween along one side of the base assembly, said panel being removable so that the space beneath the supported object is accessible.

2. A base assembly for supporting objects, such as a vending machine, raised from the fioor comprising:

(a) at least two elongated extruded metal base members having a substantially I-shaped cross-section po- 1 sitioned parallel to and coextensive with one another and spaced from each other, the top section of each of said I-shaped cross section defining a raised sup 1 porting surface on which the object can be supported raised from the floor,

(b) a pair of bars, one crossed over the other and pivotally attached together at the crossed point, extending between two of said base members with one. end portion of each bar being selectively attachable to each base member to maintain them selectively spaced apart in a fixed position,

(c) an extruded flat rigid panel having angular fins extending from one side thereof, and

(d) angular slots cut into the end portions of the.

base members to receive theangular fins of said panel for releasably mounting the panel on adjacent coextensive ends of each of the respective base members to span and cover the space therebetween along one side of the base assembly, said panel being re- 1 movable so that the space beneaththe supported object is accessible.

'3. A base assembly for supporting objects, such as a (b) a pair of bars, one crossed over the other and pivl otally attached together at the crossed point, extend- 1 ing between two of said base members with one 1 end portion of each bar being selectively attachable to each base member to maintain them selectively spaced apart in a fixed position, and

(c) a rigid panel releasably mounted on adjacent ends is of each of the respective base members to span and the space beneath the supported object is accessible.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,915 .8/1916 Woolery 248-43 1,974,158 9/1934 Okenfuss 248-23 1 2,309,323 1/1943 Lear 248-2 3,066,898 12/1962 Haynes 248--23 JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

- cover the space therebetween along one side, of the base assembly, said panel being removable so that r 

1. A BASE ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING OBJECTS, SUCH AS A VENDING MACHINE, RAISED FROM THE FLOOR COMPRISING: (A) AT LEAST TWO ELONGATED EXTRUDED METAL BASE MEMBERS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY I-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION POSITIONED PARALLEL TO AND COEXTENSIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, THE TOP SECTION OF EACH OF SAID I-SHAPED CROSSS SECTION DEFINING A RAISED SUPPORTING SURFACE ON WHICH THE OBJECT CAN BE SUPPORTED RAISED FROM THE FLOOR, (B) A PAIR OF BARS, ONE CROSSED OVER THE OTHER AND PIVOTALLY ATTACHED TOGETHER AT THE CROSSED POINT, EXTENDING BETWEEN TWO OF SAID BASE MEMBERS WITH ONE END PORTION OF EACH BAR BEING SELECTIVELY ATTACHABLE TO EACH BASE MEMBER TO MAINTAIN THEM SELECTIVELY SPACED APART IN A FIXED POSITION, AND (C) A RIGID EXTENDED PANEL RELEASABLY MOUNTED ON ADJACENT COEXTENSIVE ENDS OF EACH OF THE RESPECTIVE BASE MEMBERS TO SPAN AND COVER THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN ALONG ONE SIDE OF THE BASE ASSEMBLY, SAID PANEL BEING REMOVABLE SO THAT THE SPACE BENEATH THE SUPPORTED OBJECT IS ACCESSIBLE. 